A Shadow's Trust
by Orin Forever Crimson
Summary: *Oneshot*Hiei's musings after a battle in which he once again used the Dragon and lost consiousness.He awakens in Kurama's room and ponders the direction his life has taken.Slight Kurama/Hiei towards the end.T for Hiei's violent mind.


Hello again! I am trying my hand in yet another fandom. I think I'll do better on this one because the characters connect better with me personally. Yu Yu Hakusho is my current favorite anime, and just so you know I was entirely faithful to Inuyasha for about 5 ½ years so this one might be my favorite for a while since I just discovered it a few months ago. ^_^ Also please forgive me for not updating 'Rage in the Spirit' I am having a case of writer's block on that story, but if anyone has any ideas or suggestions please feel free to pm or review me!~Orin

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi…I would kill to own them though…Does that count?

"Speech" 'Thoughts' _Past _(Sounds)

* * *

He was here again.

He was in this house, of his own free will, lying next to one of the most deadly creatures of the Makai.

One of the most beautiful demons in all three worlds was lying there beside him, also of his own free will.

"_Come lie down and sleep Hiei," Kurama had said earlier that night, "I am weary, and I do not mind sharing my bed with you."_

Hiei, at first, hesitated, but in the end Kurama won. He always got what he wanted after all. It was foolish to think you could go against him and win.

Even in this weakened human form, Youko Kurama was more powerful than many demons that had no human blood to taint them. That was one reason Hiei had decided to ally with him. He would rather have him at his back, than try to face him in battle.

That still didn't explain why Hiei was here. Lying next to a creature that, by rights, should have killed him years ago, if for nothing else but sport.

After all he was the Forbidden Child.

A half-breed demon of the worst kind, for he was of ice and fire.

Fire and ice are the two elements that cannot live in balance with each other. Ice and earth can have harmony. Fire and earth can have understanding. Fire and air or ice and air are accepted, but fire and ice?

No, fire and ice shouldn't co-exist.

The fire would melt the ice, unless the ice extinguished the fire first, so why was he alive?

He had thought that maybe it was a joke of the gods. Maybe they thought it amusing to watch him struggle through life.

In him the fire runs strong, so he doesn't use his weaker ice powers. He had never had a reason to. Fire, to him, was stronger than ice.

He was always confused by his new circumstances.

He was on a team now. Not a hastily gathered force to go and rob some fancy estate, no, a real team.

He had the respect of the son of Enma, the ruler of the Spirit World.

He had the friendship of a human that had no fear of him, though he could easily kill him.

He was comrades with a human-turned-Mazuko, who he had no fear of him ever betraying him.

He had the companionship of one of the craftiest creatures in all the three worlds, and had very little fear of being deceived by him.

And he had all of their trust.

They trusted the Forbidden Child with their lives, with their families, their hopes and dreams, and they trusted him to never betray them.

And he knew how far gone he really was, when he knew he trusted them with a majority of himself as well.

There were things that he wouldn't entrust to members of his team.

He couldn't trust the Oaf not to laugh at his dreams.

He couldn't trust Yusuke to know how to respond to his past.

He really couldn't trust Koenma not to betray him, though he allowed the godling to give them assignments anyway.

But Kurama he could trust with everything, mostly because the fox probably would find out anyway. That was just the way the fox was. He needed to know things about his companions, like others needed to breathe.

Of course there were the logical reasons behind it. He needed to know if any of them would react badly to any of his medical treatments, since he was the healer among the group when Yukina could not be reached. He needed to know their strengths and weaknesses to be able to better their balance in battle. He was very adaptable with his plants. He could cover any of your weak spots for you in the middle of battle when not even you realize that you are showing them.

Kurama had a lot of experience; he was very old in spirit, even if his new body was not even two decades in age yet.

Kurama had all of their trust, even Hiei's carefully guarded heart trusted him.

He glanced over at his bedmate, stilling his rambling mind to study him.

Kurama was deeply asleep; his breathing was deep and peaceful. He had a small smile on his face, as if something he saw in his dreams had amused him.

Hiei wondered what the fox dreamed of.

Did he dream of his human family? Did he dream of warmth and security?

Or did he dream of fighting with the team on a mission? Of seeing an enemy being taken down with no major injuries to his friends?

Or did he dream of the Makai? Of raids and thieves, of days past? Of Freedom?

Hiei was sure that the fox would never tell him of his dreams. They were fleeting and not important.

Hiei took another glance around the fox's neatly organized room.

Sometimes he would consider telling Kurama's human mother about their demon heritage.

He thought about how her reaction could either tear apart Kurama's existence or make it complete, and he hated her for that. He hated her, but could not find it in himself to betray Kurama to a human.

Giving a grimace at that thought, Hiei turned onto his side facing Makia's most notorious thief.

'I wonder why you trust me Fox,' Hiei pondered silently, 'I could rip out your heart right now and you would never see the sun again.'

Kurama rolled over onto his back with a sigh, his arms relaxed at his sides, as if to allow Hiei better access to the heart that he had just been musing about.

Hiei watched him settle into his new position. Lifting his hand Hiei placed it on Kurama's bare chest, right over his heart.

Kurama's heart beat was that of a normal human's when he slept. He looked nothing like the Youko when his eyes were closed and his face was relaxed in sleep.

Kurama never ceased his deep slumberous breaths and his heart beat remained the same.

Hiei removed his hand from his friend's chest.

Trust was something Hiei had always thought would be impossible for him to have. Yet now he did. He had the trust of two of Makai's strongest demons.

He never imagined that he would have the trust of Youko Kurama.

Sometimes he wondered why the fox found him worthy of such an honor.

He didn't know why the team did the things they did for him.

They supported him in a way no one had ever done for him before. They even went as far as to carry his unconscious body around after he used the Dragon.

Most creatures he had allied himself with before would have either left him for dead or slid a knife into his heart while he was unable to stop them.

Looking once again at the slumbering fox, Hiei couldn't help but wonder a lot of things.

'Why does this person, this demon, of such power allow me to sleep in their bed as if it was nothing to allow the Forbidden Child lay beside them,' the fire demon contemplated waking Kurama up to question him, but decided against it.

They had just faced a very strong demon not a few hours before. Hiei didn't bother to remember his name. What is the use of knowing the names of the dead? He had used his Dragon to destroy the demon's army while Kurama and Yusuke fought the battle with the demon. And while he was no longer immediately knocked unconscious from its use, the Dragon still used a lot of energy and left him low on power. He watched as his friends killed the demon and then allowed himself to succumb to his exhaustion. Seeing a Puu was not with them this trip to the Makai, Hiei was willing to bet Kurama carried him to his house.

'And then he waited until I woke to go to sleep,' Hiei placed his hand over the fox's heart once more, 'Were you worried about me Fox? Did you want to make sure that I stayed here after I woke?'

There were times when Hiei woke in this very room, and immediately left from embarrassment of being caught in such a vulnerable position.

Friends were strange creatures. They did things no sane person should do in order to protect you and then just smile at your bewilderment.

Hiei was confused, yet comforted by his ponderings. He was a part of one of the most powerful teams in the history of the three worlds, and he was friends with his teammates. They were the family he had never dreamed or hoped to have. And they were strong. They were strong enough that Hiei did not have to be their protector. They could watch his back in battle just as surely as he could watch theirs'.

The fire demon paused once again in his ponderings. Why would he want a family after being so long alone? He didn't need anyone to take care of him. He had survived this long without anyone's help.

Hiei looked down at his slumbering friend. His eyes and face remained expressionless. If anyone had been there to witness the look on his face they more than likely would have been in fear of the sleeping fox's life.

No, Hiei didn't need anyone to help him survive, but sometimes it was nice to know that he had another option.

Hiei gently slid from the bed, not wanting to wake its other occupant. It was almost dawn. The gentle pre-dawn light teasing the edges of the horizon was his signal to leave the Fox's room so that when his human mother came to awaken him she would not find a stranger next to her son.

Nothing but a shadow swept out of the room, the window shutting with an almost silent click.

* * *

Kurama's slitted eyes watched as the dark form raced off into the pre-dawn light.

'Oh Hiei,' the fox smiled bemusedly at his own thoughts which had been resting on the fire-demon since said demon had awakened him by touching his chest, 'What am I going to do with you?'

Of course, Kurama knew that when you place your trust in a shadow it could only last until the light takes it away.

Kurama's eyes narrowed. He pitied the one who would try to take away his shadow; they would know what pain really was if they tried.

After all Youko Kurama was very possessive of his property, and the shadow was definitely his for him to share as he saw fit.

'Or not', Kurama allowed himself a small smirk before he allowed himself to drift back off to sleep, 'I think I'll keep him all to myself. I am the only one dark enough to keep him protected from the light of others. After all, shadows are delicate creatures. If they are exposed to too much light they disappear.'

* * *

So that was my first Yu Yu Hakusho fan fiction! *avoids random objects being thrown at her* I know that this was basically a rambling thought, but it is my rambling thought and I wished to share it with you. n_n If you have some constructive criticism you'd like to share you know where the review button is! And of course anyone who wishes to is free to pm me. I will answer you as quickly as my schedule allows. Thanks for reading!

~Orin


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